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L. P. HALLADAY. AUTOMOBiLE BUMPER. APPLICATION mu) sirLu. m1.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

WQfnggs. fu /6722507" M Attorngyfi LEWIS 1?. HALLADAY, OF STREATbR,ILLINQIE- AUTOMOBILE-BUMPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed. September 24, 1917. Serial No. 192,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS P. HALLADAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Streator, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inAutomobile-Bumpers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automobile bumpers and has forone object to provide a new and improved form of yielding, flexible orelastic bumper which may be easily and conveniently mounted on the frontor rear end of the motor vehicle which will thereby be protected againstcontact with other bodies. Another object is provide a form of bum orwhich will be simple and convenient, c heap to manufacture and install,easy to clean, durable and easy to renew. Other objects will appear fromtime to time throughout the specification.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of ike parts are indicated by likecharacters in all the figures.

I have shown a motor bumper but have not illustrated it in connectionwith a motor vehicle because clearly it mi ht be attached to the frontend of the rame, the springs, or the rear end of the frame or the rearend of the s rin s of any motor vehicle and the vehicle itsel forms nopart of my invention.

A is an elongated spring bar extending across the front or rear of thevehicle so arranged that its ends overhan the sides of the vehicle andproject beyond t e vehicle wheels A A. This bar forms what is in effecta semi-elliptic spring. Projecting inwardly from each end of thissemi-elliptic spring are what I prefer to call quarter-elliptic springmembers B B. These members just at their ends are bent rearwardly toconform to the rearward curvature of the end of the bar A and penetratea socket B which holds the two parallel adjacent ends of the semiellitic and the quarter-el1iptic sprin s toget er 13 is a rivet pausingthrong the springs and through the walls of the socket to lock the partstogether and hold them in roper relation. B is a spiral coil s ringinterposed between the rear side 0 the semi-elliptic spring A and thefront side of each of the quarter-elliptic 3 rings B somewhere adjacentthe inner ree ends of the quarter-elliptic springs. This spiral springis held under compression by means of a bolt B and nut B the parts beingso arranged that the coil spring is positioned between the flat springsby the bolt and exerts a pressure tending to separate the flat springsand exerts a tension on the bolt. The bolt asses through the two flatsprings and is ree to move longitudinally with respect to them. Thus thebumper forms a unit made up of a single flat semi-elliptic spring, twoflat quarter elliptic springs joined at their outside ends to the endsof the semi-elliptic spring and two coil springs interposed between thesemi-elliptic and the inner ends of the quarter-elliptic springs.

C C are brackets projecting outwardly from the usual vehicle spring endor frame as the case may be. They terminate in bolding heads 0 adaptedto engage and support the inner free ends of the quarter-ellipticsprings which preferably are thrust in slots C in the holding head 0held in position by set screws 0.

It will be evident that while I have shown an operative device stillmany changes might be made both in size, shape and arrangement of lpartswithout departing materially from t e spirit of my invention and I wish,therefore, that my drawings be re garded as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

The operator will start ordinarily with the spring portion of the bum orassembled as a unit although obvious y the parts might come in knockeddown condition in which case he would first engage the free ends of thesemi-elliptic and the outer ends of the quarter-elliptic springs in thesockets provided and bolt them in position and then place the coilspring in position between the two flat sprin pass the bolt through theflat springs an through the coil spring, tighten up the nuts to give theinitial compression to the coil s ring. The operator would. then passthe rec ends of the flat quarter-elliptic spring through the slots inthe bracket heads. He then fastens the brackets in position on thevehicle body in the usual manner moving the brackets with respect to thequarter-elliptic springs to- Ward one another or away from one anotheras the case may be depending upon the width of the vehicle. This beingdone and the hrarkets clamped in position on the vehicle the operatortightens the set screws to lock the free ends of the quarter-ellipticsprings in position in the slotted heads. The bumper is then ready foroperation.

If any object strikes the bumper, the bumper gives, the spring bar willyield directly to the rear, compressing the coil springs and flexin theends of the quarterelliptic and half el iptic spring. The spring holdingbolt will then be longer than the distance between the outside of theflat springs and will slide loosely through the perforations in the twoflat springs. This, of course, will do no harm whatever. it it shouldhappen that the blow came from the side, the quarter-elliptic and thehalf elliptic spring would be free to give or bend or buckle as the casemay be and if the blow came from the right hand side possibly thequarter-elliptic spring on that side might be bent forward and thequartenelliptic s ring on the left be bent backward and t e ends of thehalf-elliptic spring might be bent around so as to make the spring morecurved.

In other words, any number of responses might be made by thesemi-elliptic and the quarter-elliptic springs to a blow or impactdepending on the side from Which it came.

' I claim 1. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising asingle fiat semi-elliptic spring extending transversely across the frontof the vehicle and yielding means for supportin it thereupon comprisingtwo uarter-el ip-tic springs, brackets separate rom them upon which theinner ends thereof are supported on the vehicle the outer ends thereofengaging and supporting the free ends of the semi-elliptic spring.

2. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatsemi-elliptic spring extendln transversely across 'the front of thevehlcle, two. flat quarter-elliptic springs having their outer endsrigidly connected to the ends of the semi-elliptic spring, bracketsprojecting from the motor vehicle and separate from the bumper the freeends of the quarter-elliptic springs being in adjustable engagement withthe ends of the brackets.

3. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatsemi-elliptic spring extending transversely across the front of thevehicle, two fiat quartenelliptic springs having their outer endsrigidly connected to the ends of the semi-elliptic spring, bracketsprojecting from the motor vehicle the free ends of the quarter-ellipticspring being in adjustable engagement, with the ends of the bracketsyielding means interposed between the send-elliptic spring and each ofthe quarter-elliptic springs adjacent said brackets,

45. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatSQll'Il-Gll'lpillfl spring extending transversely across the front ofthe vehicle, two flat quarter-elliptic springs having their outer endsrigidly connected to the ends of the semi-elliptic spring, bracketsprojecting from the motor vehicles the free ends of the quarter-ellipticspring being in adjustable engagement with the ends of the bracketsyielding means interposed between the semi-elliptic spring and each ofthe p1arter-elliptic springs ad acent said brackets said meanscomprising an adjustable bolt passing through both flat springs and acoil spring mounted on the adjustable bolt held by it in engagement withboth flat springs.

5. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatsemi-elliptic spring extending transversely across the front of thevehicle, brackets projecting from the vehicle intermediate the ends ofthe semi-elliptic spring, fiat quarter-elliptic springs projectingoutwardly from said brackets, sockets at the ends of the semiellipticspring engaged by the quarter-elliptic springs and rigidly attachedthereupon, coil springs interposed between the quarter and semi-ellipticsprings adjacent said brackets and a bolt passing through each of thecoil springs and the two associated fiat springs free to movelongitudinally with 105 respect to all of them.

(i. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatsemi-elliptic spring, extending transversely across the front of thevehicle, quarter-elliptic sprin connecting the ends of said spring to te vehicle, and spiral springs interposed between the semi-ellipticalsprings and the quarter-elliptical springs.

7. A bumper for motor vehicles and the 115 like comprising a single fiatsemi-elliptic spring, BXlZGIIdIIlQ' transversely across the front of thevehicle, quarter-elliptic sprin 8 connecting the ends of said spring tot e vehicle, and spiral springs interposed be- 120 tween thesemi-elliptical springs and the quarter-elliptical springs adjacent theends of the semi-elliptical springs.

8. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatsemi-elliptic 125 spring, extending transversel across the front of thevehicle, quarter-e1 iptic sprin connecting the ends of said spring to te vehicle, said connection being adjustable, and spiral springsinterposed between the 130 semi-elliptical springs and thequarter-elliptieal springs.

9. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like oomprising a single flatsemi-elliptic spring, extending transversely across the front of thevehicle, quarter-elliptic springs connecting the ends of said spring tothe wehicle, said connection being adjustable, and spiral springsinterposed between the semi-elliptical springs and thequarter-elliptical springs adjacent the ends of the semielliptiealsprings.

10. A bumper for motor vehicles and the like comprising a single flatsemi-elliptic sprlng extending transversely across the front of thevehiele'and yielding means for Copies of this patent may be odtsined forsupporting it thereupon comprising two quarter-elliptic springs,brackets upon which the inner ends thereof are supported on the vehiclethe outer ends thereof engaging and supporting the free ends of thesemi-elliptic spring, the inner ends of the quarter-elliptical springsbeing out of contact or connection with the semi-elliptical spring.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses this 30th day of August 1917.

LEWIS P. HALLADAY.

Witnesses:

I. Gonesn, W. J. Human.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G.

